Generally speaking, new shoes of nearly every type are shipped from the manufacturer in a cardboard box. They typically remain in this box while in inventory at the retailer, and the box is then used by the purchaser of the shoes to transport them from the shoe store to his or her home. However, this method of transporting a pair of shoes is less than entirely desirable.
While a cardboard box may be satisfactory for shipment from the manufacturer to the retailer, the same cannot be said once the consumer has purchased a pair of shoes. The box is characteristically unwieldy to carry alone, particularly where the lid of the box has not been fully secured by string and/or tape. Recognizing this problem, retailers have resorted to providing a plastic bag to render it easier to transport the cardboard box with the shoes therein.
While this at least addresses one problem, it introduces yet other problems due to the use of double packaging. More specifically, this method of transporting shoes results in added packaging expenses, and it also results in a greater quantity of waste products for disposal once the packaging has served its very limited useful purpose. Still further, this form of packaging does nothing towards providing a method for displaying the shoes in a store or after purchase.
In this connection, it is now well known that athletic shoes, in particular, constitute an important market segment. This very competitive market sees the major manufacturers constantly creating new models and always seeking new means for gaining exposure of their styles and trademarks to the consuming public. With conventional packaging, the shoes are clearly not visible when the consumer is transporting them immediately after purchase.
For this reason, it would be desirable to have a device for effectively transporting a pair of shoes in an openly visible manner. It would likewise be desirable to have a shoe transporting device which could also function as a display of a manufacturer's shoes within a retail establishment. Additionally, it would be desirable to have a device for transporting a pair of shoes that would be reusable as desired by the consumer.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the foregoing problems and achieving the resulting objectives.